3 Mistakes You Don’t Want to Make in Rome

3 Mistakes You Don’t Want to Make in Rome

For a person who didn’t get to Italy until last year, I’m making up for lost time. I’m back in Italy this month, heading from Rome to Venice with Insight Vacations Luxury Gold to write about their ultra-luxe tours. But this time, during my independent time, I won’t make the same mistakes I made on my first trip to Rome.

My mistakes weren’t major — I didn’t get thrown in jail or sent to the hospital — but if you have a limited amount of time in a country and you have a lot of pent-up demand ( in my case a list of 150 dishes I wanted to try and certain paintings I wanted to see) — you don’t want to leave anything to chance.

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Here are three mistakes to avoid when you’re visiting Rome:

1. Not Booking Your Rome Museum Tickets in Advance

I know EVERY guidebook recommends this, but when you’re in the last-minute flurry of packing, meeting deadlines and trying to get to the airport in time, sometimes it’s tempting to postpone things until later.

In my defence, I did check the booking website for the Gallery Borghese in advance, but when I saw that dates were wide open for several weeks, I decided to wait until we arrived in Rome to actually purchase tickets.

We were staying at Parco dei Principi Grand Hotel & SPA , directly across from Villa Borghese Park and Borghese Gallery, so I thought that arriving in Rome three days in advance would be plenty of time to get tickets. Wrong!

Without a ticket, that’s as close as I could get to the paintings of Galleria Borghese

By the time we arrived in Rome, every ticket for the next few weeks was gone. No amount of tipping the concierge, begging at ticket booths or arriving early at the gallery, hoping a ticket holder would be a no-show, could get me inside and beyond the gift shop. Titian’s “Sacred and Profane Love” and Caravaggio’s “David with the Head of Goliath” were beyond my reach.

This time I’ve booked my museum tickets in advance.

Tip: If you do find yourself shut-out of the Borghese gallery and are looking for an alternative, a good option is the Palazzo Barberini. This spectacular 17th century palace features a stunning staircase by Bernini as well as La Fornarina, a painting of Rafael’s mistress. Plus, tickets are much easier to get.

It’s worth checking out the works of art including the haunting painting of Beatrice Cenci by Guido Reni at under-the-radar Palazzo Barberini facing the Piazza Barberini in Rione Trevi

Another option if you can’t get into the Borghese Gallery is to see the Caravaggio paintings in situ – within the churches for which they were commissioned, rather than inside a gallery. This option has several advantages as the lighting and drama of the paintings are presented in the way the artist intended them to be.

The Inspiration of Saint Matthew by Caravaggio in the Contarelli Chapel of the San Luigi dei Francesi

The church of San Luigi dei Francesi ( Church for French citizens in Rome) features three jaw-dropping paintings , all depicting Saint Matthew. The paintings are set in shadow, which makes it possible for viewers to appreciate Caravaggio’s powerful use of illumination as a symbol of a miraculous force in the battle between good and evil.

The church is located near Piazza Navona so is definitely worth a look. Entrance is free.

Even though we couldn’t get into the Borghese Gallery, the Parco dei Principi Grand Hotel & SPA was excellent. It would be a good option for families with kids as it’s across the street from the Villa Borghese Gardens and also has an outdoor swimming pool. Check out these other hotel recommendations for exploring Rome with kids.

2. Missing Out on the Best Food in Rome

If it’s your first trip to Rome you don’t want to waste your time on mediocre meals ( and they do exist in Rome) or get stuck in a tourist trap, place yourself in the trusted hands of food pros who know where (and when) to eat.

Fortunately, I was invited to join the Taste of Testaccio, a 4-hour walking tour withEating Italy Food Tours in Rome so enjoyed a full morning exploring the market and sampling suppli ( rice balls fried to golden crispiness), truffled pecorino and dreamy Sicilian cannolo at tavola calda and food shops in one of Rome’s most authentic neighbourhoods.

I also followed the recommendations from Eating Italy Food Tours and dined at Osteria Der Belli, a seafood restaurant in the Trastavere neighbourhood. It was one of the best meals we had in Rome.

But many other times, we arrived back at our hotel so exhausted from exploring the streets of Rome, I couldn’t drag myself out again and ended up grabbing something at any old place. Next time, I’ll do a bit of planning and get some good food to go.

Foodie Tip: If you’re near the Spanish Steps and you want a portable snack rather than a meal, I highly recommend getting mini-sandwiches to go from Canova Bar at Piazza Del Popolo. It’s pricey to sit outside at the cafe overlooking the Basilia of Santa Maria del Popolo but the staff at the take-out counter will pack up some delicious finger foods.

Then you can enjoy a tasty DIY Afternoon Tea at your hotel (we stayed at nearby Hotel d’Inghilterra located within a 16th century palace once frequented by poet John Keats).

A great spot to eat near the Spanish Steps is Al Vicoletto di Piazza di Spagna, a tiny restaurant tucked in an alleyway at Vicolo Belsiana 46-47. Not only is it quiet with plenty of shade — no selfie stick vendors in sight either — but they offer chilled beer on tap and very good spaghetti alle vongole (spaghetti with clams).

3. Wasting your time standing in line at the Colosseum or Vatican

Normally, I love to spend a few days in a new city wandering around, popping into attractions when the inspiration hits. If it’s your first trip to Rome, another really cool way to see Rome in two days is by taking buses, vespas and bikes. While it’s possible to do this in Rome ( see Barberini Palace above), it’s not a wise idea to try this for attractions like the Colosseum or the Vatican.

On our Venetian cruise and escorted tour with Uniworld, I breathed a huge sigh of relief as we breezed past lineups like this one at the Colosseum.

You can also save time by purchase a Combination Ticket (for the Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hills attractions) at the Palatine Hills as it’s got the smallest line-ups.

Standing in line at the Colosseum Rome

Some tours, such as Insight Vacations Luxury Gold tour even offer the opportunity to visit The Vatican after hours, which means not only will you skip the line-ups but you’ll avoid the crowds.

And there are always larger crowds during Jubilee Holy Year of Mercy for Catholics, a rare event declared by Pope Francis when he opens the bronze Holy Doors of St. Peter’s Basilica. This is a big draw for Catholic pilgrims, an estimated 20 million extra visitors were expected in Italy in 2016.

St. Peter’s Basilica in The Vatican, Rome

Travel Planner

San Luigi dei Francesi: The Church of St. Louis of the French is located at Piazza di S. Luigi de’ Francesi, near Piazza Navona

Hotels: Before I join the Insight Vacations Luxury Gold Tour, I’m staying at Hotel Mediterraneo, an Art Deco hotel near Termini Station. Built in 1936, it sits on top of Esquiline Hill, the highest of Rome’s Seven Hills. Located close to attractions and transportation, it’s a a great location for a first trip to Rome.

Foodie Walking Tour:Eating Italy Food Tours in Romeoffers three different walking tours of Rome, led by local experts. You’ll enjoy four hours exploring the neighbourhoods of Trastavere or Testaccio, tasting Roman cuisine, experiencing the traditions and history at stops along the walking route.

Dividing her time between Toronto, Mexico and Guatemala (or the nearest tropical beach), Michele Peterson is an award-winning writer, blogger, editor and publisher who specializes in travel, cuisine and luxury lifestyles.

I went to Rome a few years ago and I agree on all those points. Such an amazing city. I spent 10 days there and still felt like I barely scratched the surface. I had 7 years of Latin in school and seeing the Forum Romanum in real life was such a great experience. I wish I had gone there during my time in High School. I think it would have encouraged my interest in the language 😉

Great tips! we booked our vatican tickets on line before arriving in Rome and were so happy we did when we saw the line! We also took a guided tour and avoided thanks to her the long line at the Colosseum. The only thing we didn’t do was the food tour. Now I have a good reason to go back to Rome!!!!

Some great tips. I lived in Rome for five months back in college. For food I’d add not walking a few blocks from the tourist spots before getting food. You can find better and cheaper food just a few blocks away.

Really good tips and I love that photo of the two guys – it’s brilliant! Definitely agree with booking your tickets in advance although if you forget you can still skip the queue and go with a guide – for a price of course…

Thank you for the advice. It is always nice to get tips from people that have been there so, I don’t make the same mistakes. I would so rather be exploring more of the city than standing in lines. Thanks for sharing!

I made all mistakes I probably could. May visit to Rome was a waste of time as I was ill prepared. Thanks for your tips. I’ll follow your instructions the next time. #rome #bommertravelbloggers #greyworldnomads

Good tips for any Rome visit. Now that the Colosseum has a security check it’s even harder to skip the line, even with advance tickets. We were happy to visit on a LivItaly tour that got us past the line and into the underground and 3rd floor levels. Custom tours really area a great way to explore.

I really like the advice you gave as many of the suggestions were unique…..like being able to see the Vatican after hours when on certain tours. I haven’t been to Rome in (gulp) 35 years, so maybe it’s time to go back! I totally agree about booking some tickets in advance. I’m sure you were very disappointed the first time when you couldn’t get into the Borghese Gallery on your first trip.

Looks like we’ll skip 2016 as the year to see Rome but it’s been on our list to see for years. We’re thinking off-season (is there an off season for Rome?) to hopefully avoid some of the crowds so I’m tucking away your tips for when we plan our visit. And it looks like we’ll need several days! There’s always something to look forward to when you love to travel, isn’t there? 🙂

Marvelous tips, Michele! I especially agree with seeing works of art in the churches for which they were commissioned–I went in search of Bellinis once and it was a treat to find them in empty churches, sunlight beaming down on stunning works of art.

The exact same thing happened to me in Milan and I never got to see The Last Supper. I’m still not over it! In Florence, we paid for a tour outside the Uffizi and got to cut the line that way, but I’m sorry you didn’t get to see the amazing Bernini in the Borghese.

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About Michele

Dividing her time between Canada, Mexico and Guatemala, Michele Peterson's work has appeared in Lonely Planet’s cookbook Mexico: From the Source , National Geographic Traveler, Fodor's, WestJet and more than 100 other publications.

Here at A Taste for Travel she travels the world scouting out the most fascinating food experiences to help readers plan their own vacations or create recipes at home. Her writing has been recognized with awards by the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO), the North American Travel Journalists Association (NATJA) and Destination Ontario.